Discussion

Chinatown for the New Year

I'm going to be heading into Chinatown for the parade in two weeks and don't know many places in Chinatown besides dim sum. I'll be with a group of 5 with two little kids ( but the kids don't mind authentic food). Yet I don't know of any places, especially cantonese.Any suggestions?

You can bet it'll be a mad house! If you can, make rez at R&G or Louie's. Then park yourselves near the parade's end, Kearny and Clay, and you're right there by both restaurants. I'm not sure where the parade ends, but somewhere along Kearny.

I'd suggest a different strategy & different restaurants (since I'm not an R&G fan). I'd park myelfself further upstream on the parade route. At the end of the parade route, all of the groups pause to do their things for the judging stand, and while you are waiting for the end, those who've already seen it all are pouring into the restaurants. And R&G seems to be the kneejerk CH recommendation, so it's probably at the top of the guilao "A" list and probably the place that all the people who only get to Chinatown once a year will head. Great Eastern will also probably be slammed, so for Cantonese you might head for Gold Mountain (plenty of seating capacity there) or Utopia Cafe on Waverly Place (small, but more remote from the parade route).

I haven't seen any recent reports on Louies, but there were some earlier downhill reports, and if it's NOT full by the time you get there, Caveat Emptor!

If you happen to be eating BEFORE the parade, then Chinatown will be your oyster.